More rail service restored; North Jersey Coast Line still down

Commuter rail service for New Jersey residents continues to be restored, but the line that serves the state’s Shore-area communities remains closed because of significant infrastructure damage caused by superstorm Sandy.

Some service is now available on the Morris & Essex lines of NJ Transit, including Midtown direct to Morristown service. Commuters can find the limited schedules at njtransit.com.

“The restoration of limited Morris & Essex service and the addition of more trains on the Northeast Corridor is yet another step forward for NJ TRANSIT rail customers,” said state Transportation Commissioner James Simpson. “Even with this news, service into New York Penn remains extremely limited. For this reason, we continue to encourage our customers to utilize NJ TRANSIT’s emergency bus and ferry operations for their commutes into Jersey City, Weehawken, as well as into Midtown and Lower Manhattan.”

Simpson also serves as the chairman of the NJ Transit board.

It was also announced that the north Amtrak tunnel into Manhattan will be reopened.

“It’s good news for New Jersey that the tunnel is reopening, but damage remains and we won’t stop working until full service is restored for rail passengers,” said U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.. “The damage this storm did to our tunnels and transit system reminds us how important passenger rail service is to our way of life and our regional economy. Thousands of workers spent extra hours commuting, highways were further choked with more car traffic and many businesses were hurt. We must learn from this lesson and work even harder to strengthen and expand our rail infrastructure so that we are prepared the next time.”

The following list, provided by the governor’s office, details the status of commuter lines in New Jersey.

Restored Service

• Northeast Corridor: Remains in service between Trenton Transit Center and New York Penn Station, with the exception of service to Jersey Avenue. Service continues to operate on a special schedule.

• Main/Bergen/Port Jervis Lines: Limited service on the Bergen Line resumes tomorrow morning on a special schedule, with service originating and concluding in Hoboken, with no service to Secaucus Junction until further notice. Main/Port Jervis customers were previously operating on a special schedule. Hoboken-bound customers can access bus, ferry and light rail services directly from Hoboken Terminal.

• Pascack Valley Line: Limited service resumes tomorrow morning on a special schedule, with service originating and concluding in Hoboken, with no service to Secaucus Junction until further notice. Hoboken-bound customers can access bus, ferry and light rail services directly from Hoboken Terminal.

• Raritan Valley Line: Limited service will resume tomorrow between High Bridge and Raritan. All Raritan Valley service will continue to operate on a special schedule.

• Atlantic City Line: Service has been fully restored and is operating on a regular schedule.

• Morris & Essex Lines: Effective tomorrow, Morristown and Summit branch service will resume limited operations on a special schedule. Limited MidTOWN Direct service will also resume. Service on the Gladstone Branch will remain suspended until further notice due to ongoing recovery efforts. Hoboken customers can access bus, ferry and light rail services from Hoboken Terminal.

Suspended Service

• North Jersey Coast Line: Rail service between Bay Head and Woodbridge remains suspended. An assessment of rail infrastructure has revealed significant damage across the system, including the River Drawbridge over Raritan Bay as well as the Morgan Drawbridge in South Amboy. There are also extensive rail washouts (no ballast under the tracks), between South Amboy and Bay Head. North Jersey Coast Line customers are encouraged to utilize NJ TRANSIT’s free emergency bus and ferry services, which can be accessed from the Aberdeen-Matawan station as well as at the PNC Arts Center.

• Montclair-Boonton Lines: Montclair-Boonton service remains suspended until further notice due to the ongoing recovery efforts, including the repair of catenary power and signal systems damaged during Hurricane Sandy. Montclair-Boonton customers are encouraged to utilize NJ TRANSIT’s free emergency bus and ferry services, which can be accessed from the Bay Street, Glen Ridge and the Bloomfield stations.

Questions abound re: NJT’s lack of communication following Sandy…very unlike NJT not to be candid and upfront about what went wrong and what is being done. Nor has there been any apparent agressive questioning and reporting from the media. NJT apparently does not have a back up location from which to operate: no computers, no communications to trains, no communications to the public. MNRR, LIRR, and MTA, even PATH, were more forthcoming with information and also able to get back to services quicker than NJT? That’s a question which has to be answered as soon as all is back in order. Did NJT really leave equipment in harms way despite the early warnings and despite the ending of services over 24 hours before Sandy? Did NJT really not have a safe, remote, back up location for operations and communications? Was there internal problems and confusion within NJT’s officials and operating people? Why has NJT been so slow to recover as did MNRR, LIRR, SEPTA, MTA? Was it just the damage incurred or because of disarray inside NJT? A lot of questions are raised and need be addressed. Truthfully, I have always admired NJT’s communications with the public, their upfront and candidness, but am dismayed and alarmed at what has transpired in the wake of Sandy.

Incidentley, I am a railroad enthusiast who grew up in North Jersey but now live near Bingahmton, NY. I have followed the history and operations of railroads in New Jersey for 60 years and take fellow enthusiasts down to NJ to ride NJT and the other railroads in the Metropolitan Area an average of 10 times a year. My observations and questions come from knowing and admiring the professional and quality service NJT and the others have always provided.

Laura

Nov 13 - 10:52 pm

As a daily little silver to manhattan commuter for twelve years, I can tell you that I am not at all surprised by the complete lack of communication by njt. That doesn’t mean I’m not 100% outraged that there’s no good info on the status of the rail system and the recovery. And where is the media on this too? Millions of commuters affected, and no one has anything to say???